Rudolf von Huhn "Danse Geometrique No. 2" 1955 Gouache on Paper

A refined mid-century abstract by Rudolf von Huhn (1884–1968), titled Danse Géométrique No. 2, executed in 1955. Born in San Francisco, von Huhn studied and trained in engineering in Germany before fully committing to painting—an academic foundation that deeply informed his disciplined, structural approach to abstraction. His works were exhibited at major American institutions during his lifetime, including the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, and the Corcoran Gallery of Art.

This gouache on paper exemplifies von Huhn’s mature 1950s vocabulary. Set against a deep black ground, the composition is organized through sweeping arcs and precisely calibrated geometric forms. Two angular, abstracted figures appear suspended in motion, intersected by measured lines and punctuated by controlled accents of red and cobalt blue. The title, Danse Géométrique, underscores the choreography of structure and movement—abstraction conceived not as improvisation, but as engineered rhythm.

Von Huhn’s engineering training is evident in the clarity of construction: lines are intentional, intersections are exacting, and spatial balance is carefully resolved. The stylized “RH” monogram appears on the face, and the work is titled and identified on the reverse. Dated 1955, it belongs to a confident period in which his work demonstrates formal authority and intellectual cohesion.

With its horizontal format (12 × 19.5 inches image; 18 × 25 inches framed) and strong graphic presence, this work offers collectors a museum-exhibited artist’s example of American mid-century abstraction distinguished by both aesthetic elegance and structural rigor.

Rudolf von Huhn (1884–1968) was born in San Francisco and trained as an engineer in Germany before dedicating himself fully to painting in the 1940s. His technical education deeply informed his mature abstract language, which is characterized by structural precision, calibrated line, and spatial equilibrium. Von Huhn exhibited at the Whitney Museum of American Art; the Corcoran Gallery of Art; the Smithsonian American Art Museum; the Baltimore Museum of Art; American University; George Washington University; Veerhoff Galleries; and the Norton Gallery of Art, among others. His works are held in the permanent collections of the National Gallery of Art, the Corcoran Gallery of Art, the National Museum of American History, and the Brooks Memorial Art Gallery.